Fading
by YaoiSongstress07
Summary: At world's end, heroes strive to protect the future. The Smash Seraph has been taken into Organization XIII's custody, and Marth's battling to save his angel's life. Unfortunately, Sora's in love with the same angel! Hearts are torn asunder in battle!


Welcome to 'Fading', wonderful audience! In case you aren't the least bit familiar with me, I go by the name of Songstress. I compose works that concern boy/boy love-or in many cases, love stories that concern Metal Gear Solid's legendary hero, Snake. However, I do not depict him as the stereotypical bad boy. He comes equipped with feelings, and the ability to understand emotions. If the concept of a humanized Old/Solid Snake turns you off, you'll be much happier turning away. If you're at all sickened by the thought of Snake falling in love with a guy-ANY guy-feel free to take your leave. I wish you nothing but the best.

The same applies to you if you're just uncomfortable with general boy/boy romance. Also, please do not submit a review that only states technical inaccuracies, errors, etc. While I am all for assistance, I do not wish to read feedback that is written in the manner of a disapproving professor. I am not writing term papers. We are in the world of fanfiction.

Thank you for coming by. This project, which took several days to plan, is dedicated to inspirational authors-and friends. I want to thank Violence and Rainbows for befriending me, WesPerry for presenting me with the inspiration 'Blue Prince', and khfujoshi for enchanting me. XD

Disclaimer: As you probably guessed, I don't own anything related to Super Smash Bros., Metal Gear Solid, or Kingdom Hearts.

_Stirring, burning, invigorating._

_That is the love I dream of._

_Fierce but tender, elegant yet rough..._

_That is the Paradise I see._

_My eyes long to see my heart's Heaven._

_I long for sweet, luminous embraces._

_Will I find the peace I desire?_

Golden shafts of light were falling from the ether, gracing the fields of iridiscent blossoms. Petals of pink, red and white danced in the morning air, blessing their divine realm. The winds whispered sweet promises, giving the world a mother's rich warmth. Underneath the heavens stood a tender shard of seventeen years, gazing into the skies that promised eternity. He sought the embrace of his deepest wishes, uncomfortable with their budding state. For far too long, he had lived without the true touch of Heaven. For far too long, the sunlight swept him away-but left him without fulfillment.

Dark sapphire tresses sat upon his head, rustled by the morning winds. Bewitching, convival eyes drew the world into sunlight, steering the elements of his realm from skepticism. Noble blue attire complimented his slender physique, while translucent sunshine soared from his tiara. he appeared to be at the tender age of fifteen, due to his babyish features, but he sat upon a throne of divinity-and ruled it with the benevolence of an revered king. His heavy heart clamored for relief as he stood underneath the heavens, hands folded and head bowed.

"You certainly aren't impulsive, young prince. I'm able to find you out here every morning!"

He turned to an old friend with a smile, coming out of his silent reflections. "I enjoy my mornings in the garden, thank you very much," he explained in his own defense. He was an entity of sunshine, glowing with the golden orb's sheen. "You evidently have no wish to venture outside of your routine, either."

"Don't condemn me, my friend," an elderly soul said, chuckling. He delivered his defense innocently, placing a hand over his heart. "I merely wish to enjoy your company. You're the one that needs to develop a sense of adventure."

A playful combination of disgust and apathy took flight. "So what burden do you wish to reveal today? I'm certain you didn't come out here to bless me with your smile."

"You're the mirror image of your mother, Prince Lowell. Your sister undoubtedly inherited your father's temperament!"

The prince's heart swelled with pain, but a smile concealed inner distress. "Thank you for the compliment," he said with a bow, listening to his dear mentor's laughter. "I'll log that away. Now I'll repeat my previous inquiry. What burden do you wish to reveal this morning?"

"Oh ho ho, my young friend. I merely wish to know if your dreams have brought relief. Are you still longing for completion, or has something come about?"

"My heart has not found rest, Jethro," the blue-haired sovereign said softly, shaking his head. "It still seeks the end of emptiness. Fear not, though. When I unearth the source of happiness, you will be the first one I inform."

_When I unearth the source of happiness, I will ascend to my father's throne._

_As of right now, I am incomplete._

_Incomplete.

* * *

_

It was a word he had used to describe himself, and wouldn't have thrown it away for anything. Others had the capability of using extensive descriptions for their benefit, able to paint colorful pictures of themselves to potential friends. Unfortunately, he described himself in a single word-a word that conveyed loneliness, emptiness and loss. Many were drawn to his angelic appearance, and equally angelic demeanor, but he focused on the pain of his desolate heart. He refused to give an inch of respect to himself, looking down on half a soul.

Prior to the appearance of a certain someone, he had simply been irritable over his existence. Short-tempered, he jumped at everything that seemed to be offensive-and was especially brutal to mentions of his own name. Everything changed for the worse once his greatest foe appeared, making his way into the Mushroom Kingdom, the audiences of the Brawl Season, and (unfortunately) the Smash Castle. The fire within his heart deepened as his enemy smiled, befriended every soul he met, and captured the heart of a certain angel. Of course the term 'angel' didn't refer to Pit, who happened to be the winner of the Brawl's Cuddliest Competitor Contest. Pit had enough attention from his enamoured audiences. He was enamoured with a well-known Smasher anyway.

He loathed the open arms of the Mushroom Kingdom. He despised how visitors from every world were allowed to walk into the Mushroom Kingdom. Of course they wished to view the awesome, action-packed competitions of the Brawl season, so none of them meant any true harm. Friendships were quickly made across worlds, planets and galaxies as different hearts came together. Ike managed to befriend someone named Fayt Leingod, Princess Peach befriended Balthier Bunanza, and Kirby won the heart of Dixie Kong. There wasn't anything wrong with having so many worlds unite-until a certain legend came into the picture. He walked into Marth Lowell's life and made it a living Hell.

The Welcome Bash, meant to acquaint new Smashers (and re-acquaint old Smashers) with their temporary home, was due to last two weeks. It launched with brilliant vivacity, complete with balloons, orchestrated music, and banquets. The starlit heavens sang with fireworks every night, celebrating newfound life and love. Hearts cheered, melted into one another, and shared their excitement towards the upcoming Brawl season. On the tenth day, though, Marth Lowell's gala came to an end. Someone decided to pay a visit to the Mushroom Kingdom, carrying his charming personality with him.

Twenty one days into the season, that someone officially became Marth's enemy.

He grimaced at the mere thought of his opponent. The recipient of his venomous scorn bore the name 'Sora'. His very name was an entity of light. He was the personification of light, always brimming with the endearing innocence of a child. Every where he went, a smile followed suit-and friendships were born in his wake. It was as if he had emerged from a child's storybook, carrying a bag of magic over his shoulder. Two friends accompanied him, but they weren't anywhere near as annoying as he was. And his innocence was his worst quality. Despite being at the age of eighteen, and emerging from some strenuous battles, he had the attention span of a toddler. He was blissfully oblivious to everything around him! He placed tremendous focus on the lives of others, though, always setting other lives before his own. He would willingly die to secure a stranger's life, if the situation called for it.

Time walked through the streets of the Mushroom Kingdom, unpredictable and swift. The Welcome Bash came and went, bringing training sessions into play. Smashers old and new occupied the training simulations, carrying their lives into practice. Pit was the only one without worries, frequently winning over hearts with his bubbly smile. Yoshi didn't carry too much baggage either. The Snow Climbers were without fear, able to enjoy their first Smash season freely. Meanwhile, veterans and rookies alike found themselves submerged in troubles. They envied those of the carefree set, wishing they could sacrifice their limbs for lighter lives. Fox McCloud and Falco Lombardi's relationship was strained, contorted by the hands of inexplicable calamity. Wolf O'Donnell kept himself separate from the two pilots-and pretty much kept himself separated from everyone else. Only Ike was able to win his company, but even he had his fair share of problems.

Crimea's mercenary spoke little of his dilemma, unless he was around his closest friend. Like Fox and Falco, he was suffering from the aftermath of a horrendous fight-a battle he did not wish to elaborate on. His lethal eyes, glistening like blades in the night, were sharpened by the mere thought of his past. His sole confidant, who happened to be Marth, managed to discover that his battle had something to do with a magician, archer and a princess. Right before his installment into the Brawl season, the blue-haired merc plunged headfirst into a battle of the heart-and a pursuit for domination. Crimea's princess no longer wished to be the princess, the magician snarled at every word he gave (while supporting the princess), and the archer had literally pushed him into a corner. Shortly after the push, the archer proceeded to violate the merc in the most violent way possible.

Shortly after that, the magician threw his hands up and said 'I quit'. So Ike lost three things at once.

Ike found solace in the normally amiable Fox, who desperately tried to comfort the swordsman without focusing on Falco. Fox, usually one of tremendous warmth, had lost the abilities to laugh and smile-but smiled around the downtrodden Crimean. He had to, for both of their sakes. Meanwhile, Falco took solace from Princess Peach and the Pokemon Trainer. Bypassing their own problems for a friend, the two of them tried to untangle the situation between the two Star Fox pilots-but to no avail. Falco said little, and always fell into silence whenever Fox's name was mentioned. Fox glowered at the mere mention of the Lombardi, and acted as if he wished to kill him.

On one night, the McCloud burst into tears-without warning. Luckily it was late at night, and Kirby was the only one around.

Fox ordered Kirby not to convey any bit of their encounter. The puffball was reluctant to withhold anything, but changed his mind once the young hero promised him rows of cupcakes from Amy Rose's bakery.

Wolf said very little on his end, too. It was as if the pilots had been sworn to secrecy! But he confided in those that wished to speak to him. It became evident that he wished to end Falco's life as well, although he was much quieter than Fox in regards to his intentions. Falco, meanwhile, suffered from something that appeared to be a heart ailment. He would cough at times, couldn't stand longer than thirty minutes without panting, and sometimes clasped a hand over his heart. Rumina, Johto's representative, frequently inquired after his painful ailment, but it was always shrugged off. Peach offered to (literally) knock some sense into Fox, but her offer to defend the aerial creature was chopped down instantly.

Shortly after she expressed her wish to defend him, he fell into her arms-unconscious.

As Falco slept inside of the Smash Castle's infirmary, with Peach and Rumina at his bedside, Fox tired himself out with training sessions. Wolf kept himself glued inside of his room, Pit continued to pour devastating cuteness all over the kingdom (much to Bowser's dismay), and Link worried. He worried and worried over Hyrule, which had been left in the custody of Hyrule's Sages. Midna swore to protect his land with them, but she had her own kingdom to protect-and it had been tarnished once. Ganondorf had gone missing after their last encounter, some guy was haunting his dreams-and on top of everything else, the blessings of the goddesses were no longer with him. Nayru's magic was gone, Din had left him...nothing made any sense. Zelda tried to configure the absence of their powers, but couldn't reach any of the matriachs herself. So nothing made any sense to her either.

One could assume that Li was carefree, but that assumption couldn't have gone any further from the truth. His friend Tetra had ascended to her throne, but a new threat had risen over her Hyrule-and it seemed to be one she couldn't control. Her vow to control the situation troubled Li, for she was still so young, and immature in the ways of the crown. Captain Falcon, wearing a mask of eternal cheer, refrained from speaking on his past in the most effective manner. With the exception of Yoshi, Nana, Popo, Kirby, the Kongs and the Marios, every one of the Smashers had their lion's share of ailments. Intense concern was poured onto the incessantly woeful Ike, but Marth's storm was center stage. His storm was the foundation of their world's end, carrying them to the brink of the universe.

He remembered. He remembered how the first pangs of love felt. He remembered how beautiful they had been, despite their thorny promises of an intricate future. He remembered how he had gazed upon the star of his life, devoting himself to the seraph unconditionally. His mind, body and heart were bestowed upon the light of his dreams, each one given without the slightest bit of hesitation. He remembered every smile he gave onto his angelic diamond, every glance he stole, and every dream he carried. He remembered how warm his angel's hands had felt, locked inside of his own hands. They were so warm, so soft and fragile...even after they had wielded a lifetime of firearms.

That was right. They had come together at one point, sitting inside of the angel's bedroom. A particularly violent confrontation between Liquid Ocelot and the seraph occurred prior to their meeting, accompanied by an equally fierce battle between worlds. Two worlds formed a united front and knocked the wind out of their enemies, plowing through the presented opposition. Liquid Ocelot and the Organization had elevated their strength to unspeakable levels, shocking every last one of their enemies. Smashers and reinforcements were quickly forced into submission, hardly able to breathe-let alone stand on their own feet. Rumina fought tooth and nail for a fallen Falco, who had a hand against his heart-and was surrounded by a pool of hellfire. The bird's eyes threatened to close forever, Rumina couldn't stop crying out his name, Charizard was on his last legs-

And Axel wouldn't stop laughing.

"What's with the tears, cutie pie? I take it you're in love with moron! Am I right?"

Rumina didn't answer. A panting Charizard landed as the young trainer rushed to the fallen pilot, running straight through the ring of fire. Axel grinned, Rumina wrapped his arms around the half-conscious fighter-

"Don't go. Please don't go. I know you can hear me! I know you can! Just hold onto my voice and come back to me, please! I don't want you to leave me!"

"Uh oh, pretty boy! Looks like your boyfriend's time is up!"

"Shut up! What would you understand?! You wouldn't even be able to grasp the concept of 'love', you sick bastard! Just shut up!"

Rumina quickly found out he had made a poor choice in words. "Is that so?" his red-headed foe asked quietly, hands nurturing wheels of fire. The young one tightened his grip on the silent Lombardi, fearful but determined to defend the pilot. Charizard, still breathing heavily, placed himself in front of the two and spread his wings.

Axel lifted his arms, Charizard growled-

"I'll show you how much I can 'love', sweet heart, after I claim you for myself!"

The last thing Rumina knew was a fusion of crimson fire and crystal blue light.

The Altean's prince angel was at the forefront of everyone's mind, as he had been for the last couple of weeks. Everyone fought tooth and nail to shield their friend's life, pushing their bodies far beyond their natural limits. Ocean of enemies, all vying for the acquisition of pure hearts, overwhelmed their intended meals. While Ike, Sora and Marth pursued the Smash Seraph, their friends wrestled against an overpowering predicament. Riku shielded Rumina and Falco from Axel, Peach shielded the disenchanted Zelda from harm, Link cast himself over the side of a bridge for Lucario's sake, and-

Liquid laughed at it all.

That was right. He had fused his talents with those of the Organization, all the while manipulating the SOP system. Heartless were pouring out of the walls, and descending from the black ether. There seemed to be no end to them as the battle raged on, stealing the energy-and spirits of Smashers. Their assistants, denizens of Destiny Island, weren't in better conditions. Creatures of the night were manipulated by the Seraph's brother, all of them determined to snatch hearts right out of their enemies' chests. An unconscious Rumina was soon seized by a triumphant Axel, much to the dismay of his guardians. Pikachu dove in to rescue an unconscious Link from the depths of black waters. Lucario's back was against a wall of Heartless, and Liquid was laughing. He loved the entire scene, believing he couldn't have a better night!

"I'm glad you're all enjoying the party! We're celebrating my rise to fame, dear friends! I'm certain my dear brother will be able to understand my glee, for I have achieved the power I have always been worthy of!"

Shortly after that victorious declaration was made, the Seraph's rescuers were sent into the nearby waters. They struck the body of water with a vicious thud, striking it as bricks shattered glass windows. Left only with his brother, who had fallen to his knees from a FoxDie eruption, the cold beast walked towards his sibling with fists. Lightning pulsated around his balled hands, refreshing itself after knocking three opponents into the water. "You see what I am now capable of," he said rapturously, quickly approaching his pain-ridden sibling. They had already gone through one wrestling match, which the Seraph had lost-miserably. Liquid was hellbent on devouring the other, smiling with the hunger of a deranged vampire. His brother, face radiant with pain, shut his eyes.

"You're completely aware of what I can do, brother, so you no longer have an excuse to ignore me!"

A gasp struck the cold air. Lightning pulsated through a weary soldier's body, all coming from the hands of a laughing beast. Screams soon died into whimpers, and whimpers soon withered away into silence. The Seraph fell to his knees, tears falling-someone flew out of the nearby lake, glowing-

"Get your hands off of him, you freak!"

A shocked Liquid followed the order in an instant. With a gasp he looked to the heavens above, discovering an airborne body of blue light. Stars trailed behind the entity, even as he landed upon solid ground-and began an onslaught against the power hungry feline. Two mythical blades, each adorned with charms and fashioned after keys, lashed out at him with lightning speed. He retaliated with his own, malnourished magic, not yet skilled in the ways of mystical arts. Ike gathered a weakened angel into his arms, Marth ordered Sora to exchange places with him, Sora refused to back down, and-

Liquid drew Marth into a searing kiss, right when the Seraph's eyes fell on the prince.

That night, to say the least, wasn't much fun.

The meeting of two hearts occurred several hours later, after the damage was assessed. The loss of Rumina was nothing short of heart-breaking, especially to a Keyblade wielder that had known Axel on a friendly level. The young trainer's Charizard, who cried out as if Rumina had died, was gently escorted to the nearest Pokemon daycare. Falco knew nothing of anything as he drifted through slumber, withering away with every second. A silent Fox kept himself inside of the Castle's gardens, accompanied by only Meta Knight. Link's heart had been seized by one of Liquid's new friends, as a result of a sacrifice made to keep Lucario safe. He too was installed in King Dedede's One-Stop Medic Shop (otherwise known as the Castle's infirmary), resting alongside the Lombardi's sleeping body. The Castle was far from cheerful that night, drowning in a murky pool of anguish. And to make matters worse, the Smash Seraph blamed himself for everything. Mario cooked a pot of veggie stew, Kirby performed the Carameldansin routine in the hopes of cheering someone up, and Ike kept himself concealed inside of his room. Meanwhile, a prince spoke to the love of his life. The two of them-

Wait a minute. It hadn't been just the two of them. A certain someone had been there, also wanting to comfort the exhausted angel.

"Shouldn't have come. Every last bit of this is my fault. What was I thinking, coming to a place like this?"

"Do not speak in that manner, my dove. The events of this night were not created by your hands!"

"Yeah! You can't blame yourself for anything that happened tonight! Your brother's obviously nothing but a bully, and the Organization's just as merciless! They'll stop at nothing to get what they want, and I should know!"

"Should've put an end to everything. I had the chance, but...I didn't take it. I've got this idiotic, twisted dream running around in my equally twisted mind. I'm stupid enough to believe he'll accept his place as my brother, and not some deranged monster that wants to kill me. I'm foolish enough to believe in such a damned dream. I caused all of this by believing I could have a family! By believing in the fairy tales and happy endings and..."

He began to cry. Much to Sora and Marth's horror, the Seraph began to cry. His old, weathered body shook as he remembered the pain it had been through, while rivers ran from his mournful eyes. "Sorry," he whimpered to the both of them, hands wiping at his eyes. "Shit like this makes me realize how meaningless my existence is. If my era had never come around, nothing would have happened tonight. I just wish I could hurry up and die, as the broken donkey I was born to be!"

Marth and Sora rose to their feet, but not at the same time. To Marth's chagrin, Sora was a little bit faster.

"Hey there! Don't talk like that!"

"How can I not?! I'm a living, breathing bio-weapon, one that's fated to kill the world he lives in! I was created to kill, and I kill everything I touch! Everything I touch withers away! Rumina's been swept off his feet, two others are down, and my brother's running around like a psychotic drug addict, high off of power! All of this is my damned fault! I wish...I wish I had never been created, dammit!"

"You mean 'born', right?" the eternally warm, cheerful Sora asked, wrapping his arms around the tearful angel. A fuming Marth watched as Sora held the Seraph close, running a hand through his silvery white hair. The Altean's hands balled into tight fists as the Seraph's sobbing simmered, and a head buried itself into the Keyblade wielder's chest-

Why that wretched, bloody--!

Sora, as Marth found out that night, was no different from Pit. The Seraph's bedroom was filled with musical sunlight, all coming from the Keyblade wielder's being. The angel closed his eyes against Sora's chest, body throbbing with insufferable pain. Sora continued to stroke the top of his head, smiling-

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You aren't just a 'bio-weapon'. You're no different from the rest of us, with a heart and soul. Your tears are proof!"

With a warm chuckle, Sora unsheathed his faithful Keyblade. Bearing tearful, curious eyes, the Seraph observed the young one's movements. A smiling Keyblade wielder twirled his blade, placed it against the angel's cheek, and led several tear drops onto the blade's edge. A babyish set of eyes watched in amazement as the brown-haired hero balanced the tears, and transformed them into bursts of stardust.

Some, at that moment, would have said Old Snake was officially 'gone'-or 'smitten'. The entire audience would have instantly realized Marth's wish to kill Sora, though. Fox caught his fatal intentions first hand, encountering Marth in the Castle gardens one night. The fields of flowers, lovingly nourished by Princess Peach's stewards, were frequent recipients of frustration and misery. The McCloud had posted himself inside of the gardens for hours on end, reflecting on several things: Rumina's capture, Falco's critical condition, his relationship to Falco and Rumina's involvement in the Lombardi's life. Both pilot and prince realized they had something in common, and it happened to be a jealous streak.

"That bloody, filth-ridden wretch has defiled my progress! I discovered the angel first! I was the first to unearth his brilliant beauty!"

"Awww," the McCloud gushed, hands clasped together. Although he was bone-weary, and had spent several hours in tears, he managed to keep a few remnants of his normally vivacious persona. "You must be talking about your new friend Sora!"

"You're damn right I'm speaking of that beast! That bag of slime is moving in on my territory, and I can no longer tolerate it!"

"Well...he's pretty nice to everyone."

"He isn't trying to steal your diamond, your air, your--!"

He laughed. He was tired in more ways than one, but he laughed. He laughed at Marth's explosive yet comical temper, laughing for the first time in ages. The young Lowell was akin to a cartoon character! The prince was certainly angry, fuming from head to toe. Just moments ago, he had literally been face-to-face with Snake. The Smash Seraph had approached him to apologize for Liquid's kiss, Marth lovingly comforted him, hands cupping his face, and-

Sora strolled in, wearing one of his most annoying smiles. In an instant, Marth lost Snake's attention.

Ike once asked if Marth should pursue someone lodged between two admirers. That someone's inability to make a solid choice on a lover only made things worse. Snake was handicapped in the area of love, and seemed to have a some sort of odd phobia with intimacy-even though he desperately craved it. The low image he had of himself interfered with his acceptance of love, and that created a world of problems for both admirers. Fortunately for Sora, Snake readily gave Sora a world of attention. The old soldier was akin to a cuddly puppy, but Sora received the puppy's brightest magic. He always looked to the Keyblade wielder as an excited pup, face glowing, eyes brimming with newfound hope-

Why didn't the spiky-haired moron just hook up with Pit?!

* * *

Four days elapsed. A select group found themselves at the end of the world. Their seraph was gone, the heavens were crumbling, and only an abandoned observatory provided shelter. A young Pokemon Trainer was present, happily reunited with his Pokemon but uneasy about two friendships. Falco, barely recovering from painful slumber, longed to speak to Rumina but constantly stumbled over himself. A web needed to be untangled by a trio of tangled hearts. However, Rumina could hardly look at the Lombardi, and Fox's vocabulary lost all words-with the exception of one: hi.

The desolate building was underneath a black sky, uninhabited by its previous owners. Not a single star glistened over the unidentified observatory. Fortunately for a broken-hearted family, it provided much-needed security. Mario, Luigi and King Dedede were adminstering bowls of veggie stew to bedraggled, bone-weary Pokemon, while Peach patrolled the perimeter with Samus. Rumina was sharing his thoughts with Lucas and Ness, two of the remaining Smashers with sanity. The humble, pensive Ike had gone off for a stroll (which no one could understand, considering the gloomy environment), and Pit was conversing with Kairi. Lady Palutena was a part of their conversation, participating in a matter of grave importance. The angel wished to recruit members of his own army to combat Liquid's fleet.

Meanwhile, a Keyblade wielder was speaking to the prince of Altea.

Marth Mischka Altea Lowell, to say the least, was absolutely furious. The love of his life was no longer present, lost to a world only the heavens knew of. The Organization had Snake in their custody, and was probably molding him into some sort of monster. Luxord, the one responsible for seizing Snake in the first place, expressed a psychotic interest in the war hero.

According to Sora, his old friends merely wanted a new pet-not a plaything to experiment on. "Luxord's gone off the deep end," the brown-haired warrior said grimly, walking alongside the Altean prince. They were several yards away from the observatory, walking on black gravel. Frosty gales blew into their souls, chilling their bone marrow. However, neither of them cared for their own well being-as Sora didn't care for curses.

"If I know that guy, he'll try to brainwash Snake into being his lover. He's not interested in taking on a guinea pig. Actually, none of them are."

Marth, already wanting to kill Sora, was not pleased with the news of an additional rival. His black garments reflected the emptiness of universe's end, but at least his tiara gave forth light. Meanwhile, Sora was dressed in Valor Drive form. Red and black garments provided him with the dashing look of a young, venturesome skateboarder. "They seem to be on some sort of love kick," the young Keyblade wielder snarled, directing all of his anger at the Organization-and Snake's absence. "First Axel whisks off Rumina, and now Luxord's infatuated with Snake. Don't count on them playing around, though. They're too high and mighty to enlist outside help-which is why I can't understand the deal with Snake's bro. We've made it this far, but I can't put my finger on their alliance. Liquid was just a plain ol' idiot before they picked him off the street."

"Perhaps they wished to toss him aside at a later point," the prince assumed sternly, rubbing his chin. "If no member has expressed an interest in him, they'll possibly expel him from their endeavors. He's the one being utilized as a tool."

Sora lifted a hand in acknowledgement of Marth's words. "Since Luxord has such a strong interest in Snake, Liquid will quickly fall from his wall of flame. Luxord will quickly become annoyed with him, Liquid won't like the attention his brother's getting...pretty much everything's falling into place. The only problem Snake has to face is his brother."

"So you feel the Organization won't mistreat him?"

Warm, melodious laughter broke into the icy air. "No! They're not gonna lay a finger on him! Lux might make advances, but if Snake rejects them-and I'm sure he will-then ol' Luxord will back off. He'll pamper the living daylights out of him, promise him the world, and drive Liquid insane. The other members won't dare to touch him. Not while he's under Luxord's watch. We'd have a different story if Axel was after him, which makes me worry about Rumina, but Snake's fine. We just gotta get him out of that nuthole before their idiocy drives him crazy."

Despite himself, an exhausted Marth smiled. Sora spoke as if he had merely explained a word problem, counting possibilities on his fingers. "Actually, come to think of it," the young warrior added, adopting a deeper degree of urgency. Anguish struck his soft, sunny eyes. "he may be in a bit of danger. If the Organization doesn't boot Liquid fast enough, the jerk might attack Snake."

"But what of Luxord's watch?" the young sovereign asked, his voice softer than it had ever been with Sora. He received a benevolent, woeful smile in return.

"Liquid will have his chance when Luxord steps out. Hopefully the two of them will be kept away from each other, and security will be tight. Luxord will probably kick Liquid's butt for messing with Snake, but hopefully nothing too grave will happen to our captured angel."

All traces of hatred vanished from the Lowell's face. Sadness united with light, refreshing joy, which was born from the presence of the sun's representative. "I can't stand you, you know," the prince said softly, bringing confusion to Sora's face.

"Excuse me?"

"You make it so damn difficult to hate you," the smiling prince went on, head bowed. "I have despised you from the moment you laid eyes on the Seraph, but now it is close to impossible to loathe your existence. I actually find it childish to continue my envy now."

"You hated me?" Sora asked, as if Marth had just given him the most difficult math equation. "Why?"

The short-tempered Marth growled, balling his hands into fists. "Because you were in pursuit of the Seraph's affections, that's why! You still are!"

"Wait a minute," Sora said, scratching his chin's underbelly. "Snake's your guy?"

"Well, I...I..."

Sadly, the blue-haired prince lowered his head even more. "Truth be told," he began, voice heavy with agony. "I do not know how he feels for me. All I know is that I cherish him...more than the air I breathe."

Silence followed that confession. Marth kept his head bowed, submerged in sorrow. Sora, on his own end, looked as if every one of Marth's words had flown over his head. Bewilderment collided with concern and affection, though, creating a golden aura of ethereal warmth. The saddened Altean broke their silence, lifting his head with tearful eyes. "Tell me," he said, smiling through a sea of grief.

"Do you love him?"

For a moment, the Keyblade hero was stunned. Someone could have assumed that Marth asked him to strip. The eruption of confusion vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by a gentle wave of affection. "Guess so," he said, seemingly nonchalant but happy, warm, peering into the black heavens. Darts struck the Lowell's heart as he studied the dreamy, rapturous look on Sora's face.

"Didn't recognize it until now, but...yeah. I haven't been able to do anything but think of him, and...being around him made me really happy."

"I hold one occassion near and dear to my heart," the sovereign said sullenly, grimacing. Sora beamed at his facial expression, eyes twinkling. "You had the audacity to call Snake 'cute'!"

"Hey! He IS cute!"

"See?!" Marth cried out, pointing at Sora with the ferocity of an offended prosecutor. "It's that tenaciousness that sickens me! You've been nothing but a thorn in my side!"

"I thought you didn't hate me," the blade carrier pointed out, laughing. Marth threw daggers in his direction, flames roaring inside of his eyes.

"I DO hate you! I despise your sweetness, your warmth, your very existence! You sicken me, blaggard!"

Marth's hated enemy spent a few moments in laughter, arms wrapped around his stomach. The young prince endowed upon him a brutal glare, which didn't subside until the laughter subsided. "There is something I must ask you," the Smasher declared sheepishly, hands enfolded in each other. The tenderness of a fearful bluebird entered his creamy orbs. "Are you aware of my feelings for the Seraph?"

"I am now," Sora replied, nodding with folded arms. "You just told me you hated me for stealing Snake away! The thing is, I didn't mean to steal him. I...I just liked being around him, and I'm glad he liked being around me. I'm thinking we should leave everything up to him, though. I mean, we're both after him-and now he's got Luxord on his case. Pretty serious stuff."

"Yes, especially if one is unfamiliar with the art of love," Marth said longingly, referring to the absent Snake. A woeful smile spread across his face, filled with the dawn of realization. Shame soared throughout his eyes as flower petals, brightening the black world.

"I do believe you're right. So are we engaging each other in a duel?"

For what seemed to be the tenth millionth time, Sora tilted his head in confusion. His face soon brightened, lit by the flames of determination. "Sure," he said with a shrug, always smiling-and smiling at a new friend. Cockiness fell onto Marth's face, as a result of newborn love.

"Let me warn you of something. You'll be staring in the face of defeat once all of this ends, my friend!"

"Yeah right. You should know me by now, Marth. I'm never one to surrender, and I'm definitely not going to give Snake up to a pompous pop tart!"

"What?! Why you disgusting little roach!"

"I'd rather leave him with Luxord! He'd be better off with that guy!"

"And he'd be happy with you?! I fail to believe so, you annoying bottle of obnoxious sunshine!"

"I guess you haven't seen him smile around me! And you obviously didn't see his face after I called him 'cute'! TWICE!"

The mighty Crown Prince of Altea ran after Sora, the Keyblade wielder. In the livid prince's hands was Falchion, poised and ready to annihilate its intended victim. Sora dashed away from him, eyes twinkling and laughing.

The game of chase ended in thirty seconds.

Marth and Sora stiffened, exchanged glances with one another, and quickly found themselves surrounded by a handful of cards. The brown-haired stallion unsheathed his Keyblades, still dressed in Valor Form and in an offensive stance. Marth brandished his Falchion, which had adopted a soft blue glow. "Show yourself," the intrepid sovereign ordered, eyes searching for their predator. "Where are you, dastardly fiend?!"

"Why, my dear prince, I'm where I should be-high in the heavens! I'll spend a few minutes with you peons, though, just to wipe you off the face of this galaxy!"

Snake's admirers exchanged another firm glance, weapons at the ready. Keyblades twirled in the hands of Sora, eagerly awaiting the advent of chaos. A blonde, earring-clad male fell from the black ether, dressed in the uniform of the Organization. A cat-like smile stood upon his roguish, bewitching features, warning his opponents of their unborn fate. "I thought I'd take the time to kill the two of you," he said, his sleek voice dressed in mirth. His baby blue eyes glimmered with incalcuable greed. "You're not going to do anything but get in my way, so why shouldn't I play a little game with you?"

With the snap of his fingers, Luxord of the Organization sent his cards into temporary oblivion. Marth stepped forth, while Sora continued to twirl his Keyblades in a perilous, threatening stance. "Where is he?" the prince demanded, eyes snarling. "He'd better be all right, you devilish beast, or else I'll gut you!"

"Awwww. Threatening me, are you? Well, you've got nothing to worry about. The Seraph's sound asleep, tucked in only the best of the best. Of course he rebelled against me, but that's merely because he isn't accustomed to me. All of that will soon change, though!"

"You talk about Snake as if he's a dog," the young Sora put out there, eyes glistening in the manner of sapphires. "Since you're stupid enough to use that kind of terminology, I'll explain everything this way. Dogs know when to bite, and Snake's biting you for one, simple reason-he hates your guts!"

Time stopped. Keyblades lashed out at a seemingly defenseless blonde, their attack coming from an airborne Sora. The member of the Organization retaliated by shielding himself with a black wall of magic, holding the Keyblade hero in a headlock. Lifted several inches into the air by Aero, Sora continued to lash out at Luxord, shaming the speed of light. Luxord provided instant counter-attacks, evidently able to hold his own against Sora's barrages. As soon as the two broke away from each other, Marth stepped in with magic of his own. Replacing Sora, he sent Falchion out at Luxord with fierce flames. Luxord kept up his previous flow, fending off the prince's attacks successfully-using only his hands.

Marth grunted-a flash of white light seized his vision-

"Resistance is futile," Luxord snarled victoriously, watching as Sora gathered a fallen Marth into his arms. The two of them exchanged yet another nod of fortitude, then returned their eyes to the blonde before them.

"The two of you should save yourselves trouble! I wouldn't have to kill you if you stood down!"

The Altean prince grimaced as if Luxord had shoved frog legs at him. Sora gave his foe a scowl, eyes burning with fury. "Dream on," he said, tightening his grip on his Keyblades. "If you think we're going to thrown in the towel, you're officially insane! Snake's worth more than every star in the sky to us!"

"Is that so?" the card-toting combatant asked, voice slithering out of his lips. "Did either of you heal him? Do either of you even know his birth name?"

Completely taken off guard (and none too happy about it), Sora and Marth looked at each other in shame. Seeing their embarassment, Luxord pressed on gleefully. "That's right," he said, nourishing balls of black magic inside of his fists. His eyes pierced them as an owl's eyes, glowing with the night's savage intensity.

"I healed him! I rid him of his old age and returned his body to its true state!"

"What was the catch?" Sora and Marth asked simultaneously, stepping forth with brandished weapons. Luxord smiled as if the answer should have been obvious.

"There wasn't any 'catch', my good friends! I simply saw that he needed assistance, or else his life would have been lost to the flames of the night! Obviously, neither of you two cared enough to fix anything!"

Sora stepped back as if he had been slapped. Anguish, embarrassment and rage lit up Marth's face, causing Falchion to adopt a crimson red sheen. "You foul heathen," he growled, eyes stabbing his enemy's soul. "How dare you speak such nonsense! If we had been equipped with the ability to heal him, we would have done so!"

"So! It all makes sense now," the Organization's team player said, nodding while rubbing his chin. "The two of you were too weak to help him! You were absolutely useless!"

Before a roar broke loose from Marth's heart, Sora snatched up an opportunity to speak. "Don't tell me you actually have feelings for him," he said in disbelief. Luxord beamed at him, in response.

"Evidently, there isn't a problem with the way I feel! I have helped him, and now he's lost in a land of dreams! With you two, he couldn't do anything but flounder in pain!"

"I thought your Organization was devoid of hearts," the livid sovereign put in, hands clutching his Falchion with dangerous ferocity. If his grip became any harder, his hands would surely bleed. "How can you possibly care for an angel without a heart-or a soul?!"

"My my my. You understand little, prince. The Seraph and I are alike. The two of us were created for a sole, dire purpose, ravaged by the hands of humanity. I'm trying to help him escape from his so-called fate! I can understand him in a way no one else can, and he'll soon see that!"

"Wait a minute," Sora put in, the edges of his blades hitting the floor. "Where's Liquid?"

"Why, he's working alongside Xigbar," the blonde explained, wishing to laugh. "The two of them are preparing for our new world-the one I will rule, with Snake at my side!"

The Keyblade wielder gasped, Luxord unleashed an engorged ball of magic, Marth lifted his sword with a cry-

* * *

"You mean...I can cast everything off? Everything I've ever known...will be forgotten?"

Those questions echoed throughout Ike's mind as cold, bloodchilling winds. They promised a world of relief, but at the same time, they endowed nothing but pain upon a weary heart. Standing in a shroud of icy gales, he gazed at the one able to answer his questions. She was endowed with the ability to rid him of a few things, and would happily do so-for a small favor in return. The weight of the favor didn't both the former mercenary, who had quite a few things to cast off his shoulders.

She was clad in a familiar black cloak, but seemed to wish the forlorn soul no harm. Her short, lustrous golden locks had been slicked back in a childish, playful manner. Winsome blue eyes smiled at him as he stood before her, pondering a potential future. "That's right, darling," she said, hands on her hips. "I can make every bit of your pain go away-for just a small price."

Hesitation followed her words. Wagging her finger, she continued to speak in a comforting, reassuring manner. "Think of it, sweetie. Everything you've ever endured can be erased in the blink of an eye. Don't you want a clean slate?"

He did. He wanted to forget everything-his father's death, the rebellious princess...

Soren, who had abandoned him after a lifetime of friendship...

Shinon, the archer he loved-before the drunk warrior took it upon himself to pillage his body...

"Come now, Ike of Crimea. It won't hurt, I promise you. Just give me a few seconds, and everything will be okay."

He stepped towards her, looking very much like a fearful-yet eager-child.

He could do it. He could forget all about Soren, Shinon-

And the prince that would never love him.

Triumph flashed in a set of childish blue eyes. She snapped her fingers in front of Ike's forehead, the mercenary fell unconscious-and ended up right in her arms. "My game was easy to catch," she purred, cradling the sleeping form in her arms. "Axel and Luxord are taking the hard route."

Giggling, she vanished from sight-taking Crimea's legend with her.

* * *

_There's so much I just don't understand. Things I'll never understand._

He stood before a familiar face, hand over his heart. Both sets of eyes melted into one another, each set asking for relief, for release-but able to locate only deeper pain. Both were awkward, horridly uncomfortable with the circumstances behind their meeting. Their lifelong friendship only served to make their situation even more difficult, pushing every hurdle onto their battle field. Both pilots found themselves tripping over every hurdle.

"What's the matter? Can't we talk anymore?"

He didn't receive a response from the Lombardi, Ears lowered, he returned to a whirlpool of memories-images, stories he cherised. The two of them had nurtured an entire age of stories, some of them blissful while most were painful beyond comprehension. They had performed stakeouts together, went on stealth missions together-

Falco had comforted him whenever his father resurfaced, comforted him whenever the topic of family jumped out at him-

And now-

"Sorry, Foxy," the bird said after an intolerable three minutes of silence. "I guess things are a little weird right now."

"I'll say they are," the McCloud said, ears flattening. "You almost died, Rumina's chasing after you-oh, and let's not forget how he denied everything! According to his book of denial, the two of you are just friends!"

"Don't pin all of this on me, pal," the opposing pilot ordered, eyes narrowed. "You haven't exactly been 'friendly' to me ever since we came out of that joint!"

"How did you expect me to react?! I didn't know what to do, you were nowhere in sight, and-can't we give this a rest?! Falco, you're sick with something I don't even know about, Rumina's in the picture, and I almost lost you! Can't this end already?!"

"Oh, it'll end all right! Just not in the way you want it to, cutie!"

Fox and Falco stiffened.

The voice belonged to someone familiar-someone painfully familiar.

* * *

Fully awake, an angel was standing at the forefront of his cell. Gripping its bars, he reflected upon the state of things with a heavy heart. His guardian had gone off to initiate a battle, announcing he wished to slay two persistent bugs. Sora and Marth were definitely battling against him, placing their lives on the line for an unworthy beast. The other Smashers were undoubtedly with them, probably fighting against Liquid's Heartless fleet. Luxord had been strangely kind to him, using his magic to erase FoxDie from his body-and promising to keep him safe. The other members of the Organization had been ordered to refrain from touching him, unless they wished to meet death.

A pain-laden frown sat upon his newly restored, youthful face. He was alone, all alone, in a world he knew nothing of. He didn't know when Luxord would return, didn't know if his friends would be all right-didn't know if two idiotic knights were all right-

"Hey there, David! Ready to take a walk?"

His eyes widened. He look to the left, and then to the right. He discovered another figure clad in black, but it wasn't Luxord-or any member he knew of the Organization. It was a really small figure, with large circles for ears. It seemed to be a pretty happy figure, walking towards his cell with a golden Keyblade. Noticing the Keyblade, the Seraph realized the figure knew Sora. "Come on out," the small figure chimed, using the edge of his Keyblade to lift the lock on his cell. The Seraph gasped as his door opened, giving him the chance to spread his wings. He instantly withdrew himself from imprisonment, eyes locked on his bizarre rescuer.

"How do you know my name?"

"Aw, shucks," the figure said, with a wave of his hand. "That's easy! I've got my ways."

"Wait a minute," the rejuvenated soldier said, studying his liberator with the inquisitiveness of a baby. "Don't tell me. Are you...by any chance...Mickey Mouse?"

"Sssh," the beaming rescuer said, removing his hood. The jovial, eternally kind face of a mouse was revealed. "Keep it down! I've got to get you out of here without any problems!"

Completely comforted by a face from Sunny's Disney movies, Snake found himself smiling-despite the oddness of the situation. "I guess we're just going to poof right on out of here, huh?" he asked, clearly tired of being strained by pain-but more than willing to relax in gentle happiness. "And what about my friends? I take it you know about them, since you knew my name right out of the gate."

"Aw, don't worry about them," the mouse said comfortingly, eyes darting in search of potential threats. "They're just fine! I've known Sora longer than you have. Riku and Kairi too! They're all in good hands, because they've got each other to depend on! My number one priority is to get you out of here, so they'll have one less worry on their minds!"

Snake continued to smile, despite exhaustion. Emotions were tiring, inexplicable, painful things. Invigorating, deadly, poisonous things.

Despite all of that, they were also beautiful things.

* * *

I composed my own list of songs for this project. Here they are, for your viewing pleasure. Each of these songs were used to assist the composition of this adventure.

-'Access the Animus' by Jesper Kyd -'Selisona Pi' by ES Posthumus -'To The Rescue' by O-Town (from Pokemon 2000)  
-'Sacrifice' by tATu -Kingdom Hearts II OST -'Nightwish' by Nemo -'It's Not Over' by Daughtry

Thank you for reading this tale of mine. I shall now explain a few things.

1) Sora was originally meant to be Cloud Strife. The usage of Cloud Strife would have been inspired by one of my greatest projects, Crossfire. At first I thought he'd be much better competition for Marth than Sora, but Sora's cute-and I thought I'd try something a little bizarre, just for fun. XD Sora may be a little ditzy, but he's adorable-and willing to fight to the death for love.

2) Fox and Falco's story takes place in their respective universe. I've always loved the Star Fox series, and how the legendary pilots endure challenges of a magical assortment. I've thought about composing a yaoi Star Fox fic several times, and came pretty close to it at one point. Actually, the Fox/Falco pairing is the only common pairing I adore. And the Star Fox Assault theme just came on my Shuffle. The Star Fox world really is cute. XD

3) The whole Rumina/Falco relationship was cast in during the story's birth. It wasn't originally planned, but I thought it would be fun to throw the Pokemon Trainer in an anime-like love drama. XD So here's how his story panned out, in a nutshell: Fox/Falco/Rumina. XD

4) Luxord's hawt, so I thought it would be great fun to pair Snake with him. At first I was going to give Snake to Xigbar, but then I remembered the accent-laden hottie. Here's how Snake's fun is drawn out.

Luxord/Snake (one-sided)  
Marth/Snake Sora/Snake

5) Yes, Ike fell in love with his best friend Marth. It's easy to tell where that love would have went. And Ike surrendered himself to the blonde maiden of the Organization. I don't know her name, sorries. XD

6) When Sora asked Luxord about Liquid, I was going to have Luxord declare Liquid's death. Liquid was supposed to die by Luxord's hands, after making an attempt to kill the newly restored Snake. I threw that option out for a dear friend's sake, especially since he pointed out Liquid's past failures at friendship. XD Hugs to The Big Boss.

7) I expressed how Sora twirled his Keyblades a few times. If you pay close attention to his Drive Forms in KH2, you'll notice he twirls his blades in the most adorable ways possible. XD

8) I drew out the night between Sora, Marth and Snake in my head. After Sora transformed Snake s tears into stardust, an anime scene of bubbles-and a dreamy look-cropped up. A smile was exchanged between Sora and Snake on bubbly wings, but then the scene shifted to Marth-who was surrounded by anime-ish flames. XD

9) The fateful battle was inspired by a scene from MGS4 s Act 4, the night Big Mama was killed. The only differences were the absence of the Rat Patrol, and the actual setting. XD

10) I was going to have Hal (otherwise known as Otacon) present, but he just fell out of the final project. No offense to the cuddly, adorable Emmerich. XD

11) The constant references to Snake as Seraph were inspired by Tokyo Underground, where the babyish heroine is constantly referred to as The Maiden of Life . Snake s behavior was actually based off hers for this tale. XD

12) At the beginning of the fic, I mentioned Kirby performing a Caramelldansen routine. Just yesterday I discovered several adorable AMVs with that song, one of which include the entire Brawl cast dancing to the hyper-active, sugar-infused song. Snake dances to it, and then a box is dropped on top of him. XD Now that I'm playing it in the background, I'm thinking: the entire cast of this tale could really use a break, and that song would be a perfect refresher. XD

So. This was six days in the making. XD Before submitting any sort of feedback, make sure you not only read but understood my introduction. MAKE SURE YOU NOT ONLY READ BUT UNDERSTOOD MY INTRODUCTION. Thank you, dear readers!


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